Title
Hercynian and north-west Carpathian mountain pine scrub (Pinus mugo), in the north-west Carpathians with Larix decidua and Pinus cembra
Geographical distribution
Country/territory
Czech Republic: Riesengebirge, Altvater mountains; Slovakia: High Tatras, Low Tatras; Poland: Riesengebirge (Sudetes), Pilsko, Babia-Gora, High Tatras (west Carpathians)
area frequency
7 polygons.
Scientific names of main plant communities and their most common synonyms (with author citation)
Vaccinio myrtilli-Pinetum mughi Hadač 1956; (Syn.: Myrtillo-Pinetum mughi Jeník 1961, Mughetum myrtillosum Sillinger 1933, Pinetum mughi carpaticum silicicolum Pawłowski et al. 1928, Mughetum myrtillosum Dostál 1935); Adenostylo-Pinetum mughi (Sillinger 1933) Šoltésová 1974 (Syn.: Mughetum altherbosum silicicolum Sillinger 1933, Athyrio-Pinetum mughi tatricum Hadač 1956, Ribeto-Mughetum Zlatník 1959); Pinetum mughi sudeticum Matuszkiewiecz 1960.
Structural feature of the main community(ies) (layers, life-forms, etc.)
Mostly three-, and seldom four-layered krummholz stands 1-2 m high with a closed, and at the upper altitude boundary open mugo pine layer. Other shrubs are scattered and the tree layer is usually poorly developed, and at lower altitudes the form is joined by Picea abies, Sorbus aucuparia and Betula pubescens subsp. carpatica. Dwarf shrubs (Vaccinium myrtillus), tall herbs, grasses (Calamagrostis villosa, Calamagrostis arundinacea) and ferns form the almost completely contiguous herb layer; acidophilous species of oligotrophic habitats predominate. The moss layer is well developed (Dicranum, Polytrichum species, lichens etc.)
Dominant and most frequent species in different layers
Tree layer
Pinus cembra (High Tatras), Larix decidua, Picea abies, Sorbus aucuparia subsp. glabrata, Acer pseudoplatanus, Betula pubescens subsp. carpatica
Shrub layer
Pinus mugo, Rosa pendulina, Lonicera nigra, Sorbus chamaemespilus, Ribes petraeum, Salix silesiaca
Herb layer
Calamagrostis arundinacea, Calamagrostis villosa, Vaccinium myrtillus, Vaccinium vitis-idaea, Phyteuma orbiculare, Hordelymus europaeus, Athyrium distentifolium, Aconitum napellus subsp. firmum, Cicerbita alpina, Adenostyles alliariae, Viola biflora, Leucanthemum waldsteinii, Veratrum lobelianum, Luzula sylvatica, Homogyne alpina, Melampyrum sylvaticum, Dryopteris dilatata, Orthilia secunda
Moss layer (incl. lichens)
Ptilium crista-castrensis, Hylocomium umbratum, Sphagnum girgensohnii, Cladina rangiferina; Pleurozium schreberi, Hylocomium splendens
Diagnostically important species
Pinus mugo, Pinus cembra, Rosa pendulina, Lonicera nigra, Ribes petraeum; Calamagrostis villosa, Vaccinium myrtillus, Adenostylion-species
Ecological variants
On base-rich substrates Ribes petraeum is frequent in the shrub layer, in the herb layer Adenostylion species and Calamagrostis varia.
Geographical variants (geogr. differential species)
in the Sudetes mountains without Pinus cembra; in the Carpathians with Calamagrostis varia, Soldanella carpatica, Sesleria albicans, Cortusa matthioli, Cirsium erisithales, Gentiana punctata, Carduus glaucinus, Melampyrum pratense subsp. pratense. For Poland, two area associations have been described: Pinetum mughi carpaticum with Leucanthemum waldsteinii, Soldanella carpatica and Pinetum mughi sudeticum with Salix silesiaca, Trientalis europaea.
Natural accompanying vegetation (most important units in complex with the name giving mapping unit, scientific names)
Nardion, Calamagrostion variae, Seslerio- Asterion serpentimontani (Carduo glaucini-Caricetum tatrorum), Calamagrostion villosae, Calamagrostion arundinaceae, Calthetum laetae, Cardaminetum opizii, Betulo-Adenostyletea, Oxycocco-Empetrion hermaphroditi (Riesengebirge). Poland: Broad-leaved tree scrub (Pado-Sorbetum, Salicetum lapponum in the Riesengebirge; Pulmonario-Alnetum viridis in the eastern Beskides); tall-herb communities of the Adenostylion alliariae (mostly Adenostyletum alliariae and Athyrietum alpestris); tall grass communities of the Calamagrostion; meadows of the Eu-Nardion; spring vegetation of the Cardamino-Montion.
Adjoining climax and permanent vegetation (with numbers of mapping units)
mixed fir forests (D27), spruce forests (D34, D36).
Land use, substitute communities
forestry (substitute communities, plantations of economic tree-species, scrub)
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grassland (meadows, pastures, herb-rich communities)
Calamagrostion variae, Calamagrostion villosae, Nardion strictae (mostly as sheep pasture ground), sometimes also extensive grass meadows.
arable land (characteristic weed communities)
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settlements (typical ruderal vegetation)
nitrophilous tall-herb communities (Rumicion alpini) in the environs of mountain huts, sheep sheds etc.
Site conditions of the mapping unit
Landscape type, geomorphology
high mountain regions, slopes of up to 35° inclination, sometimes rocky or with block slopes, ridges above the tree line
Altitudinal belt and/or altitudinal range
subalpine; 1250-1550 m in the Riesengebirge, 1350-1800 m in the west Carpathians
Geology (bedrock)
granite, diorite, gneiss (Palaeozoic); limestone and dolomite (Mesozoic), sandstone (Tertiary), conglomerates
soil type, also the depth of fine textured earth (soil), stone content; (international nomenclature)
subalpine ferrum humus-podzole, podzolic brown soils, subalpine humus carbonate soil with distinct raw humus cover; also alpine gley-podzoles and transitions to subalpine ranker; loamy skeletal soils; ((stony) dystric cambisols; dystric leptosols; orthic and gleyic podzols)
soil texture
sandy-loamy, clayey-loamy
soil moisture, water balance
fresh to moist
soil reaction
very acidic to weakly acidic
soil fertility
oligotrophic, oligo-mesotrophic
Climate incl. local climate
climate type (following Walter & Lieth)
X
average annual temperature
-1 to 2 °C
average annual precipitation
900-2000 mm
average temperature of the warmest month
July 11,5 °C
average temperature of the coldest month
January -11 to -6 °C
local climate or other climatic peculiarities
cold to very cold alpine climate.
Importance for nature protection
Present state and development trend of natural vegetation (degree of endangerment)
Severely endangered (difficult redevelopment); Poland: State of preservation is generally quite good. The stock of near-natural vegetation still remains at approx. 70 %.
endangered communities, species worthy of protection in natural vegetation
all natural communities; species worthy of protection: Cortusa matthioli, Ribes petraeum, Aconitum napellus subsp. firmum, Soldanella carpatica, Leucanthemum waldsteinii, Anemone narcissiflora, Carex sempervirens subsp. tatrorum, Aster serpentimontanus amongst others.
causes of endangerment
Increasing environmental pollution, particularly from the air.
required measures for protection and restitution
No details
Localities of representative stands (loci typici) with state of protection
of the natural vegetation
Slowakian Republic: Tatra national park (for instance Batizovský štít), Belianske Tatry (for instance Ždiarska Vidla); Czech Repuplic: Krkonoše national park (Sněžka, crest region, Liščí hora, Ràžová hora, Kotelné jámy, Studničné jámy); Poland: all occurrences are protected in national parks.
of characteristic substitute communities worthy of protection
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Most important references (author, year)
Hadač 1956; Jeník 1961; Krajina 1933; Matuszkiewicz & Matuszkiewicz 1960; Matuszkiewicz & Matuszkiewicz 1975; Sillinger 1933; Šoltésová 1974; Szafer & Zarzycki (Ed.) 1972a; Szafer & Zarzycki (Ed.) 1972b
Compiled by
Z. Neuhäuslová based on documents by J. Michalko and R. Neuhäusl; W. Matuszkiewicz, completed by Š. Maglocký
